Poisonous Talent
by yuneame
Summary: A girl hidden under the main house of the Uchiha clan for many years. Can she possibly have a hidden talent that could change all of Konoha? Rated T to be safe.
1. New to the World

**I**t was a full moon, twelve o' clock at night…everything was still. The people of the village were asleep and unknowing of the assassins planning an attack on the Hyuga clan tonight. My clan. No one knew, except for my mother.

She brought me outside in the main house courtyard, and whispered soothing words in my tiny ear, praying I wouldn't choose that moment to cry out. And I didn't, for I soon fell fast asleep, my head on my mother's shoulder. I heard the rapid pattering of footsteps, and I softly bounced in her arms.

That was a vague memory from when I was a baby. I only knew that my mother had taken me to the nearest residence from our home; the Uchiha's. She left me there with my father, Uchiha Fugaka. He took care of me, and I was kept in a secret chamber underground to protect me from anyone searching. I didn't understand any of it. So I left it alone.

I grew up a life full of insecurities, from meals in the dark to avoiding social contact. As I got older, I began to question my father. I wanted to know why I needed to be protected. I was scared, but I didn't know why. I told myself that I would venture out into the main house within that coming month. It did not turn out like I meant it to.

That year, father was busy with his wife's second son. I was only two years old. My older half brother, Itachi-neesan, was already five, and an exceptional child prodigy. He was cold and unwelcome, but on the other hand, I was pretty stubborn. When father was at work, I would ask Itachi-neesan to help me train, and he would always continue what he was doing, acting as if I wasn't there.

One year after the child was born, I finally managed to ask my father one question. Later that night, I pondered about his answer.

"You are the ultimate weapon. Born from two of Konoha's most powerful clans, you are dangerous, and wanted for warlike purposes. That's why many people are looking for you, and as head of the police force, it's my job to make sure you're safe. Are you listening? Ah! It's late… no more questions. Now close your eyes and go to sleep girl."

*** * ***

Years passed, and Chihiro grew up in the same environment as she always did. Soon, Fugaka decided that it was time Chihiro was shown the place outside of her 'room'. As she got closer to her two brothers, her stepmother also paid more attention to her, and they came to be close just like mother and daughter. Meanwhile, Itachi received more missions, and seemed more distant than ever. Sasuke was the same cute little brother, and often play with his sister when Itachi was gone. Everything was fine, and a 'fine' as in 'simply divine'. Chihiro's everyday schedule became something she could look forward to, and it was like living a dream to her. She started her ninja training late, but she didn't mind one bit. She finally had the family she always wanted. Until that night…

_**It was death to all of them. Chihiro was nothing but a young girl then, and she thought that **_

'_**Itachi-neesan' had gone crazy. And maybe he did. But what hurt her the most, was that she could do nothing to help. She was underground and sleeping, unable to hear the fighting going on above. Sasuke, on the other hand, saw everything, and at dawn he ran into her room in tears.**_

_**He told her everything.**_

_**And they lived through everything together.**_

_**Father used to always called it bonding.**_

* * *

Eleven years later

**I** still do not believe what my father told me all those years ago. Me, the ultimate weapon? I wasn't even special or talented. I was more in the category of _unusual. _I was new to the village, since I was hidden under the main house of the Uchiha clan ever since I was three months old. I was supposed to start ninja school at the age of 12, but due to my lack of training, my father would not allow me to enter as his daughter until I was properly taught the basics. Today is my first day. I am two years older than my younger brother, if not only partly related, Sasuke. I have already learnt all of the basic skills, and much more.

I do not have a normal family. Itachi-neesan left us, and made sure Sasuke and me had nothing left either. I was already tired of crying, so thinking of the death of the clan didn't trouble me, unlike Sasuke. He was set on revenge. I didn't really care.

I was also known to have unnatural eyes. I had the byakugan, like the rest of the Hyuga clan, but instead of my pupils being a pale purple, they are a reddish-magenta color. Perhaps it was because of my mixed genes, or maybe because I was just born that way.

"_Onee-san._" I heard someone say with venom. I looked up to see Sasuke walking ahead of me, "I'm going first."

"I'm right behind you, Sasuke-_chan_. And we're both going together." He turned around and glared at me.

"Don't add a suffix at the end of my name." But I was already gone.

* * *


	2. Old and Senile

***In the classroom***

"**A**lright, class. Now I know everyone is nervous because this is the first day for students at the academy, but you have nothing to worry about. I am Iruka-sensei and I will be teaching this class until you all graduate, understood?" A chorus of 'yes, sensei' echoed in the classroom. Our teacher looked around the room, and his eyes landed on me.

"Ah yes, Chihiro-san will you please stand up?" There was the dreaded question. I stood up slowly, making the chair scratch the floor with a squeaking sound. Everyone turned to look at me.

"Would you prefer to be called as Hyuga or Uchiha?" He asked me.

"Hyuga." I replied, rather quickly. Sasuke shot a glare in my direction. I stared back at him. Unfortunately, Iruka-sensei saw, and turned his head to see whom I was having eye contact with.

"Your half-brother?"

"Hn." I muttered. It was the dreaded reply of an Uchiha. Well, annoying, more or less, when you want to start a conversation. Sasuke and I still had not broken eye contact and we both grimaced at the same time. _Cursed genes, _I thought to myself. By now, I had gained more glares from the rest of the class, mostly girls.

"This is Hyuga Chihiro-san. She is a little older than the rest of you…two years? Yes, two years, so she is now fourteen. I want all of you to give her respect as your elder and learn from her example." Iruka-sensei said loudly. I started to sit down.

"Ah! Sensei, sensei! I have a question!" I was halfway seated, but I stood up again. Behind me was a boy with blonde hair, waving his hand in the air with a big grin on his face. I heard Iruka-sensei sigh.

"Uh, Naruto…please quiet down. This is a classroom not a playground. And…yes, what is your question?"

"Well, I was just wondering, if this onee-chan here is fourteen…then why is she in a class with us? Does that mean she's still a genin?" The boy asked with the same noisy voice as before. I looked at him. Naruto seemed to be a loner, as all of the surrounding students would scoot farther away from him with every word he spoke. Even though he just said I was incapable, he seemed like a nice kid. I felt a little sorry for him.

"Naruto! She is still your sempai! Chihiro-san began at the academy late because of family matters so there is no reason to mock her." Iruka said in a scolding tone. I studied my feet; this was kind of embarrassing. Amidst the tense atmosphere, someone snickered. Recognizing his signature laugh, I knew it was Sasuke finding something to humiliate me again.

"Tch…can you live up to their expectations, _onee-san_?" He said under his breath. I shot him a look. He was sitting in his thinking position, his elbows resting on the table and his hands folded neatly in front of his overly pale face.

"Tch…have you gone old and senile, _Sasuke-chan_?" I said with the same volume. This was the beginning of our much-played questioning game. Forgetting about our class, I was surprised when I heard someone cough.

"I hope you two are done _bonding_?" Iruka-sensei asked with an eyebrow raised. I was tempted to say no, but I decided not to; I was starting to like this sensei of mine.

* * *


	3. Ramen with Friends

**A**fter class, I tried to find Sasuke settle our score, but I couldn't find him anywhere. I was so distracted by my search that I bumped into someone on the road.

"Ah! Gomen! -…Naruto-san?" I was surprised to see him of all people. I looked around. _This neighborhood doesn't have any children…maybe he lives alone?_

"Oww…who are you – the onee-chan from the classroom?" He said, peering close at my face as if to confirm his statement.

"Eh? The 'onee-chan from the classroom'? You can call me Chihiro." I said, helping him up, "By the way, have you seen Sasuke?"

"No…hey! Do you want to eat ramen with me?"

"Yes, but I have to go. Maybe next time?" I felt a pang of guilt; the kid looked really dejected, "Can't you…eat it with your family?"

"Um…my parents aren't here anymore. I live alone…everyone's scared of me because they say I'm a monster." He turned away so I couldn't see his face. _A monster?_ _I'll ask Sasuke about it later._ Then I suddenly had an idea. _I'll deal with Sasuke later._

"Hey Naruto-san…er, Naruto! Why don't you go eat ramen with your friends?"

"I don't have any." I still couldn't see his expression, but his tone had become curt and flat.

"Who said you didn't have any? I'll go eat ramen with you." He immediately turned around. His whole face was lit up, and he jumped up and down with excitement.

"Really?! You will, you will, you will? Let's get going then!" He jumped up one last time and raced off towards the opposite direction.

"Hey! Wait for me!" I shouted after the small orange figure. Then I ran after him; I was hungry after all.

* * *

****After having ramen…****

"**A**re you still looking for Sasuke?" Naruto asked me while rubbing his stomach. We had just finished our meal at Ichiraku Ramen, and it was perfect timing, for it was getting dark outside.

"Well, I'll meet him at home anyway, so it's alright."

"Ok…well, this is my house so I guess I'll be going" We stopped and stood in the dusk colored shadow of a small home. _So he lives here…_I mentally noted his address.

"See you at school!" I told him as he waved goodbye to my retreating back. I walked around the corner, and suddenly broke out in a run. Finally…it was payback time!

* * *


	4. Confrontation of the Fangurls

Chihiro's point of view

"**A**hhh! Ouch…" I massaged my ankle. I whipped my head up; they were getting closer. I was planning on a surprise attack on Sasuke, but who knew there would be a bunch of girls following him? _Urgh…he saw me, too._ _Hmm…wait! I think I can continue the plan…_

"Oh, Sasuke-_chan_! I came to save you!" I shouted out with an exaggerated motherly voice. He stared at me; it looked like he was about to puke. _Ha…it's working!_ I got up and pretended to be seriously injured.

"You should come over and help your onee-chan, shouldn't you? After all, I came all the way here to save you from _those people_." I pointed at the horrified girls. It was still quiet and nobody moved. _Sheesh, now I have to continue on my own…_

"Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" The Fireball Technique zoomed towards Sasuke. He jumped up in time, but the flames scorched his shirt. Instead of the wide-eyed expression he wore before, his pupils were now slits, glaring at me beneath his eyelids.

"How clumsy of me." I said with a blank look. I turned to the girls, now huddled together, "That was supposed to hit you." They screamed and ran off without looking back.

"Now, my dear little brother…let's train together shall we?"

* * *

One hour later

**W**e were both panting, but the only difference is that Sasuke was on the ground and I was still standing. _Heh…sucker. I didn't teach myself the Byakugan for nothing._ I cleared my throat.

"Who can't live up to whose expectations?" I said while taking a deep breath. I limped over and helped him up. He rose and dusted himself off.

"Lean on me." He said it so softly I almost didn't hear him at all.

"Huh? What did you say?" I asked him, acting dumb. He glanced in my direction and sighed. He grabbed my arm and pulled it over his shoulder.

"Oh, I see. Eh? Sasuke, you're only up to my shoulder? You need to eat more."

"Baka. You're skinnier than I am, _onee-san._"

"Heh. I guess you're right. Let's go home."

"Hn."

* * *

As they walked towards the Uchiha residence, the shadows cast by the setting sun seemed to bow and retreat before them. Was this the light of family love? Perhaps only the two children would ever know. Chihiro's smile has finally returned after five years of frowning, and not only her, but Sasuke also. Though they hide their true feelings from each other, the road they are walking is the right path…the path to home…

_**And the path to happiness.**_

_**But of course, this story must not end so soon, for nobody knows what becomes of tomorrow.**_

* * *

****The next day…****

"**R**ace you to school! Whoever's last has to make dinner tonight!" After pausing to grab my shoes, I leapt over the garden fence and dashed through the front gates. I ran so fast, I only saw the fuzzy outline of the red and white crest in the middle of the metal bars, and a sudden streak of dark blue and black passing me by. My mind was slow to register.

"Yah! He got ahead of me!" I continued our race, but I was worried about what I felt before. It was a sudden blur in my vision, almost like pressure piling behind my eyeball. The pain was vague, so I dismissed it as a bodily reminder for not having enough sleep.

When we reached the school grounds, I called the results as a tie, and we both headed off to class.

I opened the door to the correct room and we stepped inside. The students were still talking with their friends or playing around since Iruka-sensei had not arrived yet. As I headed to my seat, a bunch of girls, including the three from yesterday, approached me with over-confident expressions.

"Ohio. Can I please pass? My seat is -" I was interrupted by a girl with long blonde hair tied in a high ponytail, and bangs that covered up her right eye. She was even shorter than Sasuke, so she reached just under my shoulder blades.

"Uh…no! Y-you've got some explaining to do! And don't expect us to call you onee-chan or whatever!" The girl said. She was nervous, I could tell. Her trembling hands were clasped together in front of her chest, so it seemed like she was asking more than demanding. Yet after she finished her statement, various girls from the groupie gave indignant shouts of support, like "yeah!" and "that's right!". I sighed; _I better get this over with quickly._

*** * ***


	5. Pressure in the Eyes

What did those girls want? (on with the story)

"**S**ure, but what do I need to explain? Is this about Sasuke?" While I was talking, I calmly walked towards my seat and sat down. The eight girls followed my every move, and swarmed around my table. _Huh…I wonder why they're not fighting to sit next to him?_ I peeked through a gap between two of the girls, and saw that the spots on either side of Sasuke were already taken. _Oh, I see why…_

"W-well, the thing is -"

"Ino! Iruka-sensei's coming!" Alerted by the warning, the girl named Ino stopped her question and looked around to find that the rest of the group had already left. She reached her seat just before the door slid open.

"Good morning, class! Is everyone prepared for the first official day of school? Today we will begin teaching and testing you on the basic techniques and rules as a shinobi. To start the day, I would like to call role…" Iruka-sensei's voice slowly faded to a soft mumbling as the pain from the morning again, pulsed within my eyes. The call-and-answer pattern of the role call became faint like background noise; I was temporarily feeling as if I was in a recording room with soundproof walls, listening to an argument next door. Instead of hearing what everyone else in the room was, a buzzing sound became louder and louder, as the separate pains closed together like advancement; the throbbing became stabbing and the buzz became a loud whine. Amongst the confusion in my head, a headache was forming, adding to my frustration. The pressure was becoming unbearable. _What is happening to me…?! _Unable to stand it any longer, I raised my arms to cover my ears.

"Ah…argh…!" I whimpered. Some of the pupils around me stared at my hunched figure. My face was definitely twisted with a mask of optimum stress. I was mentally aware of my neighbor yelling for Iruka-sensei, arousing the whole class' attention.

"Chi…are…alrigh…?" I made out scraps of sentences, and I concluded that Iruka had come to check on what was wrong.

It was when I tried to open my eyes that I realized I couldn't.

It was burning. My eyes were burning. I let out a moan of pain.

"My eye…my eyes! Iru…ka-sensei…their burning!" I was panting. _Hard_. I could feel everyone's focus on me and the alarming atmosphere that seemed to lay thick in the air.

And then it stopped. It was so sudden that I felt a little lightheaded. When my heart settled down to a normal pace, I opened my eyes. What a sight it was.

* * *


	6. Life isn't fair

**T**he view was spectacular. Everything was in the utmost detail, but still normal like they were supposed to be. My eyes seemed to analyze movement and the present situation, instead of my brain processing the information. I felt it.

This was the Sharingan.

I looked up to find everyone huddled in a close circle around me, low voices whispering to their friends.

"Erm…minna?" It was like watching the reaction of the visitors at a zoo when an animal moved. The entire class twitched spontaneously, as if surprised that I could talk.

"Ahem…Chihiro-san? I think you should look at this." Iruka-sensei parted through the crowd and handed me a mirror. I hesitantly gazed upon my reflection; the area around each of my eyes was bunched up in a concentrated branch of veins…my Byakugan was activated somehow. In the center of each dark yet faded red iris was a black circle with three hooks spinning rhythmically. I had gained the level three Sharingan.

I noticed that I couldn't see the chakra system of the people in the room, even when I was using the Hyuga kekkei genkai. _I wonder what would happen if…?_ I put down the mirror, and the circle of bodies took a step back, like they were afraid of me. Some of them returned to their seats.

"Let me try something. _Byakugan!_"

* * *

**I**t was like seeing the world through a computer. I could see what everyone in the room was doing and figure out their next reaction. Even the chakra system made more sense than before with the different colored energy acting like a guide. _Don't tell me…the color is the chakra type?_

I remember Father mentioning chakra types and their strengths and weaknesses when we were training together. _If I manage to master this duo eye technique and build up my knowledge of jutsu, then…!_

"Chihiro-san…I think you should go home and rest for a while. Sasuke why don't you walk her back?" Before I knew what was happening, I was already halfway out the door. I realized that I was too absorbed in my thoughts. I glanced at Sasuke, who was accompanying me on my right. He appeared to be somewhat troubled. _It's probably my fault again…_

* * *

Sasuke's point of view

**N**othing was fair. I finally remembered. If you want something, you have to earn it on your own. I need power…I need to get stronger. I _need_ to be the one that kills him. Even if Chihiro says she isn't planning to, those are just empty words. She can change her mind anytime and seek revenge against Itachi.

And she probably would be able to.

She is older than I am, and she would be much stronger if she masters the Byakugan with the Sharingan. _It's the third level, too…something like this is practically impossible._ _No wonder father had to keep her hidden._ I couldn't help but think of what would have happened if I was born with the all seeing eye along with the Sharingan.

"No fair…" I said under my breath. A slip of the tongue. Chihiro looked at me funny, and I avoided eye contact. _Every time I look in those eyes from now on, I'll remember I'm not strong enough. It's just too much._

"Sasuke? Are you ok?" She truly sounded worried. I couldn't help it, the guilt of being resentful towards my sister seeped in. I studied her figure without turning my head. She _was_ beautiful, in her own way. I snapped out of my trance. _Sister…you are related by blood…_The voice in the back of my head kept nagging me, and my thoughts returned to resentment.

* * *

_**What will happen now? Sasuke believes that he is weak, after his sister's transformation. **_

_**Chihiro continues to fret about her younger brother, afraid that she has hurt him somehow. No one understands the two better than each other, but can this silent feud ever end?**_

_**Meanwhile, deep down and buried under miles of hurtful memories, could there possibly be care for Chihiro as something other than an older sibling?**_

_**Questions and more questions…**_

_**But no answers to any of them.**_

* * *


	7. Youngsters these Days

****One year later…****

**I** put on my black finger-less gloves and inspected the daily outfit in the body length mirror as I did the finishing touches. I tied my leaf headband under the black bangs framing my face, and made sure that the knot was also under the half ponytail on the back of my head. I straightened the collar of the stomach-exposing shirt, which was dark blue, like the ankle length skirt I had on. I pulled two black bands over my elbows for protection, and re-wrapped the white bandages on my left arm. Only my left, because the sleeve on the right covered my forearm, while the other side came just twenty centimeters below my left shoulder. Before I did the sparse wrapping of black over the white for support on my arm, I tied a new short apron-like skirt under the netted shirt and black belt. It was a new accessory that I bought conveniently cut open like the long skirt beneath, and able to hold as well as hide items (such as weapons or medical supplies). Finally, I finished up on my arm, and secured a pouch at my waist. While checking on the bandages covering up my legs below tight black shorts, I put on my shoes. I always walked Sasuke to school.

At last, I completed my tiring morning preparations. I slid open the door to my room and hurried to the front gate to meet Sasuke.

It was around eight in the morning, the busiest time in the streets for students and parents who go to work. The people stared at us, as usual. Well I have to say we _were_ pretty eye-catching.

The Uchiha crest blared in contrast to the navy blue material, one symbol on each of our backs, and one on the front of my skirt. I knew we were talked about often, and known as 'two children that god favored'. After all the rumors about survivors of the clan assassination, it was finally revealed that the last to carry the bloodline were merely two kids. They called us 'lucky'. I don't see how 'lucky' we could be if our relatives were all wiped from the face of the earth in one night, and by our brother. I never even bother to look at those _commoners_ who don't know a thing about our lives. A girl as I was, I still had my Uchiha pride.

At school, we used to overhear hushed conversations about me and Sasuke's _outstanding_ bloodline. Especially me. The nonstop gossip was even more tiring than my two-hour morning schedule. I didn't care how 'outstanding' our bloodline was, it still wasn't clean like the Hyuga name.

_Urgh! Me and my stupid genes!_ I remember thinking the same thing on my first day at the academy a year ago. Now, I almost hate my genes everyday. Oh, how I miss mother! She could have brought me up differently.

Soon the school came into view, and I bade my brother goodbye.

"Sasuke, have a good day at school!"

"Hn." Our conversations have been shorter than ever, since last year on the day I discovered my double kekkei genkai. We didn't get much time to talk in the past year anyway, because of the Chuunin Exams, even though I was put on the same team as Sasuke. Sadly, we are still separated because only me and another boy from our class, Shikamaru, passed the test.

"Yah, how long are you going to stand there? Were going to be late." I was startled to see Shikamaru leaning against a tree nearby with his eyes closed. _Oh, of course…we were supposed to meet here._ He agreed to walk to work together after I dropped off Sasuke, since he said he had nothing better to do.

"Gommen…demo, wouldn't you be late if you went by yourself?"

"Tch! Doudemo…" He said opening his eyes and walking away, "Are you talking about me, or yourself?"

"Oy, oy! Respect your elders!"

"Ah…" He replied lazily without looking back. I grumbled and said something about the 'young people these days' and caught up with Shikamaru. Another day at work as always.

* * *


	8. Black on White

(AN: From the last chapter…If you don't know, 'doudemo' means 'whatever')

***Meanwhile with Sasuke***

Third person point of view

"Ah~! Why isn't Kakashi-sensei here yet? He told us to meet him by the school and we've waited for _two hours!_" A yellow-haired boy complained, while looking around. Sasuke watched his hyperactive teammate as he received a smack in the head from Sakura, the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Shut up, Naruto! Listening to you whine is making my head hurt!" She growled, even louder than her victim. Sasuke sighed. They were both useless in his personal opinion. At least Naruto had _some_ use; Sakura just went around bothering him all day.

Time passed, and the mid-afternoon sun beat down on the three genins ferociously. As they were making their way towards a spot in the shade of a tree, Sasuke staggered in the heat. The world seemed to be spinning out of control, but it was all in his head. Suddenly, the young Uchiha fell to his knees and collapsed.

The two other children hurried over, and just peeking out of Sasuke's collar was a curse mark, alien to the whiteness of his neck.

* * *

Chihiro's point of view

"I can't believe we have to record all these missions!" I muttered as I sorted through the scrolls on the table. Rolls of paper were all over the room and on them were the details of missions written down by team captains. Since the private loft in the Hokage's office was not big enough, it was our job as chuunins to transfer the data into record books for easy storage, and organize them by rank. I hated work like this, and my hands are often blistered after finishing.

Shikamaru, Kotetsu, and Izumo gave grunts of agreement while resting. When we were about to resume working, there came a knock on the door.

Kotetsu got up to see who it was with a sour look on his face, after a few minutes of prodding from Izumo and I. After the visitor left, he came back in and handed a folded note to me.

"Eh? What is it?" I asked, flustered. Kotetsu shrugged to show he didn't know either.

"The messenger said it was something urgent from Kakashi Hatake." _Kakashi-sensei? Ah…he's not my sensei anymore…but why did he send a message for me?_ I opened it, getting more confused the longer I thought about it. I read the letter quickly, my eyes scanning the page. _Th-this is…!_

"Masaka! Sasuke's in the hospital?!"

* * *

**(Srry, this chapter is a bit short…)**


	9. Hospitalized for Side Effects

* * *

**I** arrived at Konoha's one and only hospital thirty minutes later. Asking the receptionist for Uchiha Sasuke, I was told that he was put in room 196.

Hurrying up to the second floor for patients, I found the visitor's wing quickly, and found 196 on the wall next to a green door. I pushed it open, and was greeted by the eyes of three people.

"Chihiro…" Kakashi moved aside as I made my way towards the center of the room. I passed by Naruto and Sakura without a word, my only focus on the boy laid down on the bed.

"Wha…what happened to him?" I stuttered, unable to calm my breathing.

"Don't you know? He was bitten by Orochimaru during the chuunin exams. Sasuke collapsed due to the after effects of the curse mark." Kakashi said calmly while pulling out his book.

"Curse mark? Orochimaru?"

"By the looks of it, you weren't there when he was attacked, am I correct? Or…Sasuke didn't tell you? Who Orochimaru is isn't important, but the curse mark…the curse mark will harm the user's body, and leave unbearable pain, every time it is released. It is similar to poison, in your brother's case, and it will react to large amounts of chakra." My previous sensei explained, "Sasuke…he should probably avoid any fighting any time soon. He'll be in the hospital for a while."

"Isn't there anyone who can cure him?" I frantically asked to nobody in particular.

"Not here. Not in Konoha, at least. The elders are putting something together…possibly to find someone that can take the job as Fifth Hokage, and figure out _this_ problem." The voice of Kakashi told me, pointing his gloved hand towards the bed. I sighed and sat down in the chair nearby. _Why didn't I know about this? Why didn't he tell me?_

I stayed in that position for who knows how many hours. The other visitors soon left, and I fell asleep on the edge of the hospital bed, dreaming about miracles.

* * *

(This is a little fun side story I did about the following days after Sasuke's incident. Chihiro feels as if she is the one responsible, and has set on seeking help to get stronger. Coincidentally, she remembers someone from the chuunin exams, also with the Byakugan ;)

"Neji-san! Are you busy?" I yelled after the Hyuga prodigy. He turned around and looked at me with a weird expression on his face.

"…No." He said, somewhat confused in my interpretation.

"Then…can I train with you? Now?" I asked, afraid of his answer.

"…Yes, but why? I thought you were a chuunin?" He said, his brow furrowing. I let out the breath that I had been holding in.

"Because, you are the only one that can help me get stronger." _Of course, that's just purposely leaving out Itachi-neesan._ He stared at me for another period of time, paused as if about to say something and then finally nodded his head.

"Come with me."

We decided to go to my old training field, where Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura were first challenged with the two bells. I was left out that time, because the Third commanded me to rest my eyes. _I had enough 'rest' for my eyes the night before. __**Sleeping.**_ But nevertheless, I was forced to obey. This time on the same field, I wanted to prove that I didn't need my duo technique to win a fight. So when Neji asked me what I wanted to practice on, I told that I wanted to perfect my Byakugan like he did.

I knew that Neji-san was from the side branch of the Hyuga clan, but even though he was a year younger than I was (an: Neji and them were older than Naruto, remember?), he was the best person as a tutor.

We trained until dusk, right when the trees started to cast long shadows onto the grass. I went to rest at the three wooden poles, and Neji followed. I wanted to return to the hospital before it got dark, so Neji became my escort.

It ended up like that for several weeks, and I would often sleep a couple of hours earlier than usual to build up stamina and gain back my chakra. _Now_ I need to rest my eyes.

* * *


	10. We Meet Again

(Woohoo! im starting to say that a lot…but anywayz, back to the story)

I listened to the sighing sound of his breathing; inhale, and exhale…it was calming to me. I usually listened and not looked, because I had become slightly afraid of the sight of him sleeping so peacefully, yet unable to wake up. I leaned back in my chair and let my head arch upwards, thinking about the recent news from Kakashi.

He kindly informed me of Naruto's mission with Jiraiya, the legendary sannin. They had been sent by the elders to look for a woman named Tsunade, also one of the three legendary leaf ninja. As predicted by Kakashi, Tsunade was said to be a fitting choice for the role of Fifth Hokage, and also known as the best medical kunoichi. I remembered my day with Naruto at the ramen shop so long ago:

(Flashback)

"_Hey, Naruto… Do you have any goals or dreams?" I asked him while retrieving my order of ramen. He nodded frantically, chewing his mouthful of food quickly so he could answer._

"_Of course! I'm going to be the next Hokage! Then, the villagers will all respect me, and no one will ever call me a monster again!" He exclaimed, smiling broadly with a noodle hanging out of his mouth. I beamed._

"_Work hard for it, Naruto… I believe in you!"_

"_Hee…thanks! You're not so bad after all…" I gave him a look that said 'is-that-so' and we both laughed._

(End of flashback)

_Naruto must be upset, _I realized. If that woman became the next Hokage, then his current goal will be shattered. I lifted my head and sighed guiltily. _This time…this time, I can't be rooting for you Naruto…_

_Because I have to save Sasuke…_

_Gommen._

* * *

I frowned as I spilled the clear liquid my skirt while changing the water for the flower vase. Placing the new flowers that I had picked inside the glass bottle, I examined the clothes that I was wearing now. The grass and mud stains were visible from training, and even though I had been showering daily at the hospital (an: Just pretend, ok? :p), I always neglected getting a new change of clothes. Maybe I was just too lazy to.

I grabbed some toilet paper from the bathroom and proceeded to wipe the wet mess from the bedside table. After I was satisfied, I decided to pay visit to my home and pack some clothes to change into. I gave a backward glance at Sasuke before I left room 196.

Walking in the dusty streets of Konoha, I avoided the crowded places and markets, and headed to a road that I knew would be deserted. It was a place where Itachi-neesan, Sasuke and I used to play together, a small path near cherry blossom trees hidden behind the Uchiha residence. _Well, __**we**__ weren't really playing…it was usually just Itachi and Sasuke._

I walked slowly, admiring the many sakura petals floating towards the ground, creating a blanket of pink ahead. Seeing the familiar sight, images of childhood memories flitted through my mind. Along with the surge, also came a picture of Sasuke's hospital room. I gritted my teeth and lowered my head, responsibility weighing down my footsteps._ If I had paid more attention to Sasuke's strange behavior, he might have been cured, or healed sooner…it's still my fault._ I felt my eyelids sag from disappointment in myself. _It's too late worrying about that now…I can't do anything to help him anyway._

While consumed in my thoughts, I was vaguely aware of two dark figures heading towards me. Both were wearing traditional straw hats and long black cloaks with a red cloud pattern; combined concealing most of their faces from view. I instinctively squinted to see what they were covering up, but I only made out little details. The one nearest to me had two marks between his eyes (assumed to be male) and his companion seemed to have blue fish-like skin and gills. _I must have seen wrong…gills? What kind of person has gills? And maybe he's just really pale, so much that his skin would seem to have a bluish hue. _I watched silently as they passed closer and closer. _Chotto! How do they know this passage? Only Sasuke, me and Ita…_

Impossible.

But the scar-like marks on either side of his nose are just like _his_. And no one else knew this road except the Uchiha's. Impossible, unless…

…It _was_ Itachi. I stopped in my tracks. _How could I be so stupid?_

"Ita…" I muttered in a hoarse voice not used in a long time. I could still hear the soft padding of their shoes meeting the petal-coated ground and the continued rustling of their cloaks when they moved.

And I didn't dare progress. _What if it __**was**__ Itachi?_ And then I asked myself the inevitable question.

_What would I do then?_ Nevertheless, I needed to know. What if he was here to attack Konoha, or worse, harm Sasuke?

"Itachi…" I said a little louder. A sudden breeze carried my voice, and I heard a musical ringing, like a bell, coming from the pair. As they just passed me by, I saw a red string with a tiny golden ball at the end, dangling from the edge of their hats. I tried sensing their chakra signature, but they had masked any sign of their presence. I listened some more to the steady footfall now behind me.

"Itachi…" I said louder than the past two times, "…Itachi-neesan!"

And then they stopped. The eerie silence was even harder to bear than before.

"Did she just say… 'Nee-san'?" I heard the taller man inquire in a rough voice. There was no answer.

I was now fully turned around, and facing the strangers' backs. The shorter man inclined his head towards my direction and stayed in that position for several minutes, observing my angered expression.

"Who are you?" He said in a voice like velvet. A voice like…Itachi's. Surprising myself, I chuckled darkly, the sound almost maniacal to my ears.

"Who am _I_?" I said in a humorless voice. I glared at my target menacingly. (an: is it me, or does she sound drunk?) I shut my eyes, laughing under my breath.

When I opened them again, I heard a gasp of surprise from the deep voiced stranger.

"Do you remember me now, dear brother…?" Inside I was fighting against this insane self taking over my body. _What was I saying?!_

* * *


	11. Filthy Ninjas

**She was…daydreaming?**

*** * ***

I was frozen in that position, wondering what would have happened if I said that. _Turn on the double eye technique for no reason? What a waste of chakra…besides, it's not like Itachi would recognize me that way._ The man, whom I was sure of to be Itachi, still stood in front of me, his head tilted from curiosity. _Is he really that good at acting, or does he really not recall me at all?_

"Me?You should know." I said while putting on a disappointed expression to disguise my nervous state. _If he is acting, then I am too…_I reached a hand behind my back and purposely brushed over my kunai pouch, pulling one of the weapons out. I turned around, letting them both see the large Uchiha crest on my back, and bent down to draw a matching symbol on the ground. I straightened up.

"Think about it…Itachi-neesan." I called out. I slid the kunai into its holder, and vanished from their line of vision, escaping through a nearby side street. I slowed my pace as the shouts of people reached my ears. The clamor was loud and angered. _Is something going on up ahead?_

As I rounded the corner of a building, a circle of civilians came into view. All duties of the market were abandoned, and there were parents hustling their children into the homes behind the stalls, their faces showing fear and anxiety. The crowd huddled in the center of the street however (mostly men), wore hints of hostility upon their features, some shaking their fists with rage, and some looking on with sympathy. Yet, there was one thing alike for all of them; everyone's attention was focused towards the center of the circle. I approached the group slowly, trying to see the source of the brouhaha (an: lol).

The closer I was, the louder I heard one voice get, a voice of a person that I seemed to recognize. When I reached the edge, I made my way through the packed bodies, some of them parting for me to pass through when they saw my uniform. Soon, I was among the front of the viewers.

Yamada Taro (an: a random name I found, that is equal to 'John Smith' in English :D), the owner of the vegetable stall, stood over a dark figure crouched in a painful crawling position on the ground. The burly man's face was unnaturally red, his arms shaking with fury. He glared down at the boy (it's a boy!) and muttered curses for everyone to hear.

Yamada-san was a foul-mouthed man in his late forties, who hated our current life as coexisting with shinobi. He often found little matters easy to get frustrated over. It was not uncommon to hear him yell at neighboring stalls with complaints that usually came with menacing threats to set things right. He had always been this ungrateful ever since his aging wife passed away from a deadly illness.

So it was not surprising to find that the bitterness was directed towards Yamada, and not the stranger on the ground. I heard whispers of 'leave the child be' and 'what a heartless man'.

"What do you have to say now? All you ninjas…just useless filth! You ruined my stock, did you hear me! Puked all over my vegetables! How do I make a living for the next month, before the new supply comes in? Huh? You tell me!" Yamada suddenly screamed. I listened as the woman next to me had a soft conversation with her friend.

"Did you hear? I think that boy left the hospital by himself…I wonder why?" She said placing a hand near her face, as if telling a secret. _Hmmm? Hospital! Is that what she just said? _

It was then, that the boy spit blood, and a few droplets coincidentally landed on the stall manager's shoes. And it was also then, that I noticed the red and white fan shape on the child's back.

* * *


	12. Thinking about 'Her'

"Argh! You did that on purpose didn't you? Wipe them clean! Now!" Yamada Taro raised his foot to kick the boy, but I screeched at him to stop.

"Chotto! Sasuke, what are you doing here?!" I said loudly, ignoring the stares. I separated myself from the front line of onlookers and knelt next to Sasuke. His eyes were unfocused and half-closed, like they were too heavy to hold open. A thin layer of glistening sweat shone all over the visible sections of his bare skin, and I could see his joints shaking from supporting the weight of his own body. He had even taken the time to change into his ninja garments. I pulled him closer to me and made him rest his head on my shoulder, while he used his free arm to wipe the blood that was dripping out of the corner of his mouth.

By now, I did not have to listen to the excited pitch of voices to know what the marketers were discussing.

"Hey, isn't that…?" I caught one of them saying.

"I think so! Those are the siblings right? What was the name…" Another continued.

"Uchiha! Wah…they're so good-looking! Did you hear the rumors? …" The gossip spread like spilled juice, going from one person to another as they all contributed to the story. I despised scandals like this.

I pushed Sasuke into a sitting position and allowed myself to stand in front of him protectively. I shifted into my fighting stance and glared at the beefy man facing me mercilessly.

"Yamada…you have crossed the line." I did a quick handsign in front of my chest and mumbled a few words.

"Byakugan, Sharingan! Double eye technique!" (an: I don't feel like translating into Japanese so…) The man cowered at the sight of my glowing eyes.

"Leave now, and nobody gets hurt…" I growled, the words squeezed out from between my teeth. I had just threatened to break a rule of shinobi; to not harm civilians unless under an order or such (which is never!). But I didn't care to worry about that now. I watched everyone on the street scurry for cover, and picked up Sasuke, putting him on my back.

Unknowing of the two pairs of eyes on my retreating figure, I made my way towards the Konoha hospital.

* * *

Third person point of view

Watching Chihiro and Sasuke from the rooftop of a sturdy building, Itachi and Kisame stood as still as stone. Kisame was the first to speak:

"Those eyes, eh? She could be more powerful than _you_, Itachi…" Ignoring the teasing tone of his partner's remark, Itachi closed his eyes and leapt off the building with one graceful movement.

"…Hn. Let's go."

After walking quite a bit, Itachi raised the question he had been thinking of ever since he saw his sister.

"Kisame…we do need to find a new member, ne?" He asked, in a voice not suited for questioning. As the person being quizzed, Kisame halted, only letting Itachi see the sword, Samehada, strapped to his back. Without a reason, the swordsman started to laugh, an amused guffaw that shook his body. Itachi did nothing but narrow his eyes.

"Ha…Itachi, you've been thinking about her, haven't you?" The man stiffened at the mention of his name along with the word 'her'.

"…Do we not?" Itachi continued, disregarding the query meant for him. Kisame snickered rather evilly, showing his pointed teeth.

"If you say so…_Itachi-neesan_." This time, he turned around to say it, wishing to see the expression on his comrade's face when he finished toying with him. Itachi quickly composed himself, rid his voice of any emotion:

"Stop playing around, Kisame." And stalked off.

* * *

Chihiro's point of view

I sneezed. And of course, growing up as the absurd person that I am, I looked around suspiciously, as if that would tell me whether I was being talked about (an: Asian traditional belief, that you are being talked about when you sneeze for no reason). I glanced at the nurse attending to Sasuke, and openly stared at the back of her white attire. _What do I do now? This is so boring…_ I covered my mouth with my hand and held my breath as to not let the giggle forming escape my lips. I checked to make sure the nurse didn't notice, and then let out the air with a sigh. _I just sounded so much like Shikamaru…I wonder how he's doing?_

"Er…sumi masen…can I leave for a while?" The woman nodded her approval, and I left the room, headed towards a building near the Hokage's office. My work place.

Fumbling with the rusted doorknob, I didn't bother to knock. Or…perhaps I forgot to knock. Shikamaru, being the only person in the office, looked up with a rather shocking expression on his face.

"Are…you…who…Chihiro-san!" He managed before rising and dragging an extra stool towards the table, "Sit."

I looked back and forth between the empty chair and the awkward expression on Shikamaru's face before bursting out, laughing. He soon joined in.

"Who were you expecting?" I asked him once we were both seated.

"Ah…I was just familiar to seeing Izumo or Kotetsu coming through the door recently." He said with a tinge of pink on his cheeks.

"Well, I guess that is understandable. How's work lately?"

"What do you think? Nothing ever changes around here." I nodded thoughtfully. Just as he said, the small apartment-like place hadn't altered at all, and the messy interior actually made the room seem cozy. I had always thought this office more like home than my real one.

"Ah…Never mind…I should get going now." I stood up abruptly, and dragged the stool back to its original position, "See you around, Shikamaru." He nodded and got up as well.

"Same to you, Chihiro." We were motionless for a few moments, before Shikamaru, as the lazy person he was, decided he was too tired to stand any longer. I grinned and said goodbye one last time before going back to the hospital.

Who knew I would never make it there.

* * *


	13. Fetish for Flowers

**(A/N: I'm trying to put more thought into each chapter, to make it up for the length ********omg I just realized that microsoft word makes those smileys wen u type in the regular kind lol**

**btw question: should I start another story…a new one?)**

Third person point of view

Itachi and Kisame followed behind the girl; their masked chakra signatures helping them stay hidden. Her steps were slow and unwilling, and the pair trailing her kept the same pace, waiting to pounce at the right moment.

Chihiro suddenly halted. She could feel an unusual aura settling behind her. The second she paused, Itachi was already standing in the gray of her shadow, with a kunai pressed against her throat.

"Come with us." The former Uchiha said in a low voice. Chihiro shivered as his breath tickled her ear. His words were leaden, restricting her body from moving, and she quivered from shock as the cool blade slid up and down her throat.

"Nani? What do you mean?" She forced out, only keeping steady for a short time. Chihiro didn't know why he made her feel this way.

"Fine. I guess we'll have to take you with us." She felt the palm of a hand hit her back, and everything was dark.

**(**The palm thingy iswhat Sasuke did to Sakura in the manga.)

* * *

(an: this is a few days before Chihiro was…um…kidnapped.)

Sasuke's point of view

_A little more…until I reach the surface…I raised my arm in a gesture to grab the light coming from above, but my limbs would not move. _

_I couldn't breath._

_There was darkness, black, black, and more black, pulling at my consciousness and sucking my invisible body down farther into the abyss. The bright off-white color formed a round shape, and I felt like I was looking up from the depths of a well. A bottomless, black hole of a well, that pulled things in, taking and never giving back._

I opened my eyes. My breathing was uneven, and I could feel the sticky sweat that had begun to dry in the air conditioning of the room. A circular light shone in my face, seeming inches away, while actually hanging from the ceiling. My senses seemed more acute than usual, and I could hear the inhaling and exhaling of a girl beside me. I inclined my head towards the peaceful sound, and my neck muscles screamed in protest. I ignored the pain, and saw the sleeping form of a female.

"Chi…?" I began, hoping it was my sister. She jerked awake, almost like she was expecting my awakening. I frowned as I recognized the bright pink of her hair, and the green eyes dazed from dreaming.

"Sasuke…? Sasuke-kun! Your awake!" She said, a rosy color flushing her face from happiness. After darting her eyes between me and the door, Sakura started fidgeting with her hands, and shifted her focus on her lap. I took the time to observe the room, noticing the vivid arrangement of flowers on the bedside table.

"Sakura…"

"Yes?" Her head snapped up, and her reply was swift and ready. Her steady gaze on my face unnerved me, and her willing expression was somehow annoying. I sensed disgust in the back of my mind, and could not place a reason as to why. I gave a weak cough, cringed from the tightness in my throat, and continued:

"Did you put those…there?" I asked, hesitating before I said the word 'flower'. I studied her face for the answer, and I detected obvious traces of confusion. Bracing myself to say the hated phrase, I moistened my lips and opened them to speak.

"The…flowers, I mean." She widened her eyes for a moment, before blinking once in understanding.

"Oh, those?" She said nonchalantly, "I think Chihiro-san brought them in."

* * *

Third person point of view

He stared at them everyday. His eyes never got tired of roaming the tinted edges of the petals, or the rich and dark green leaves that seemed to slump from its full weight. The second after the door clicked shut behind the last visitor or nurse, his head would automatically turn towards the inviting sight that splayed across the rim of a simple glass bottle.

It became a second instinct.

Sasuke admired that simple bouquet more than anything, and he could spend hours stroking the stems with his fingers, and lifting the large blossoms to savor their sweet fragrance.

His new flower fetish was ironic to himself. He had always hated flowers, ever since his family's death, when he learned that flowers were common for mourning.

They had always felt too innocent and delicate under his fingertips, too pure for him to stand with his cold heart. He was…_afraid._

But this was different. Everything, from the satiny texture of the foliage, to the intoxicating perfume, reminded Sasuke of Chihiro.

He imagined the irregular crimson shade that gathered towards the center of each individual petal as the essence of his older sister, soaked into the plant through her hands. He knew that she had been tending these very flowers when he was unconscious. She hadn't been visiting him for several days, and he was getting fed up with waiting in embarrassment. Meanwhile, he busied himself with the flowers instead.

He visualized them _as_ her, in place of her absence.

So Sasuke knew something was very wrong, when the vase crashed to the floor, the shattered pieces of crystal-like glass burying the wilted blooms.

And something was very wrong indeed.

* * *


	14. Naive in the Mornings

**(A/n: lol this is gunna be a funny chapter…sort of.**

**Btw has anyone noticed how everyone in the Akatsuki is kinda mentally deranged?**

**Like Deidara, he gets real hype when he screams 'art is a bang!' and all that. Kisame…well he's a friggin' shark with a killing hobby. Sasori smirks with his blank doll eyes that make him look like he's on crack. Hidan insanely laffs and curses like there's no tomorrow. Kakuzu has five hearts dammit. Pein rambles on about pain when ppl aren't even listening, and don't care. Yeah…Ima stop now.)**

Chihiro's point of view

I woke up smelling a damp smell, like rotting wood that had been in water too long. The place also reeked from a stench like a basement, unseen by sunlight, and unclean. The very odor gave me goose bumps, and that was before I opened my eyes.

The enclosure was dim, and not well lit by two candles. The cavernous ceiling seemed to have no end, giving me the feeling similar to being buried alive (an: please refer to flowers under glass :D). The yellow candlelight glinted off the stalactites maliciously, making the rock look even sharper than real life.

"Like you're new room?" A boyish voice asked. I whipped my head around in various directions, and I finally spotted the person leaning against one of the slimy walls, not peeved by the moldy, slippery surface at all. His body language told me he was at ease, and knew the place well, but he looked no older than twenty years of age. I realized that I didn't notice him at first, because he was wearing a black cloak, similar to Itachi's. I felt a flash of anger burn in my veins. _Itachi…he brought me here…_

"So, do you like it, un?" He repeated, observing my expression with one gray-blue eye.

"What do you think?" I said, too tired to give an answer. Besides, I thought it was pretty obvious to what I judged of the cavern by the frown etched into my brow.

"I asked the question first, un." I saw a smirk partly covered by blonde hair make it's way across his features. _He kind of…looks like a girl._ _Or is he female…? This is so confusing…_

"And I'm not obliged to answer because I don't know who you are." I shot back, a little irked by the confident smile he gave me.

"Hmph." He made his way across the uneven flooring and stopped when he towered over me, "You're kind of cute, _little girl._"

I immediately stood up, offended by his comment.

"Who are you calling a little girl!?" I said angrily, afraid to shout in the cave. He lifted his eyebrows, feigning surprise, the amused look wiped off his face.

"…Aren't you?"

"I'm turning sixteen in a month! How old are _you_?" I glared at him. _Cusso…he's a little taller than I am…_I had to look up to see his eyes…well, eye.

"Nineteen. My birthday's in a month, too." I stomped my foot in frustration like a small child. The lack of rest was leaving me awfully naïve in the process. He gave a bark of laughter at my unladylike behavior.

"Oh, yeah? When's your birthday?" I said, not giving up. I always had to be stubborn in the worst of situations.

"When's yours then, un?"

"May fifth, of course." We recited at the same time. I stared at him, and he stared at me, and we both burst out laughing. The warm sound was foreign to the dark area, and it echoed in the space in a weird way.

I felt like I was laughing too much without Sasuke lately. That was not a good sign. _Am I a bad older sister? _Before the guilt left me depressed, the stranger stuck out a hand for me to shake.

"Deidara. What's your name, un?"

"Uchi …Hyuga Chihiro, I mean."

"Mm! You're definitely Itachi's baby sister, un?" My eyebrow twitched.

"Ah…hai…" He studied me with a skeptical look.

"Hn…anyway, I came in here for a reason…Pein-sama wants to meet with you."

* * *

Third person point of view

(A/n: Heh…this is easier to write in…and the thing with the passages, if anyone has ever read 'The Host'…and the characters are kinda 'out of character' it will be normal in other chp)

Deidara led her through a jumble of passages, twists and turns that made Chihiro dizzy. She wasn't sure if they were going around in circles or not.

"Um…D-Deidara-san? Why am I blindfolded again?" She asked for the third time, while adjusting the strip of material with her free hand. She heard her guide chuckle, and she felt a slight pressure in her other hand, the one that was in the man's grasp. (an: or should I say boy?)

"We don't know if you can be trusted." He replied, rather bluntly. The girl made a small sound, similar to a gagging cough made when food was stuck in your windpipe. She took a sudden intake of breath, making it sound like a wheeze.

"Who's 'we'?"

"We're here." Deidara announced, dismissing her probing question. She felt a pair of hands undoing the knot at the back of her head. The tattered blindfold fell to the floor, which had broken glass and trash literally blocking the view to the ground.

Chihiro inspected the rectangular room, unlike the place she woke up in which was similar to a hole. There was one person in the very center. Short, dirty orange hair framed a face that was covered with black piercings. The man's skin was colorless, in a sickly way, and his pupils were a golden saffron, with scarlet rings starting at the whites. Overall, he was very peculiar looking, sitting in a splintered wooden chair with his legs crossed, as if lounging on a throne. Chihiro couldn't stop staring.

"Has anyone taught you that staring is rude, _little girl_?" He said in an extremely deep voice unfitting of his image. Chihiro cleared her throat to conceal a snort of laughter, for he was watching her with the same amount of fascination.

"Eto…are you 'Pein-sama'?" She asked, while kicking a fairly large piece of rubbish aside.

"What do you think?" He said, his gaze unwavering. Chihiro thought that question was too frequently asked. Meanwhile, the plastic clattering of the object she punted gave the sentence an uncanny feeling.

"Hn…what am I doing here?" She folded her arms in front of her chest, and got straight to the point. He gave her another disconcerting stare, and then finally closed his eyes, preparing to speak.

"You came here to join, am I correct?"

"Nani?! Join what? And you know that I was kidnap…erm, _brought_ here by Itachi-nee…_Itachi_." She told him in one big breath, uttering the last word with loathing. Pein observed this with interest.

"So…you don't know." He confirmed, with an air like he already knew before she asked. Chihiro lifted her eyebrow in incredulity at his vapid diction.

"About the Akatsuki, I mean." Opening his eyes, he saw the area around her forehead scrunch up.

"Akatsuki? Is that what you call…yourselves?" Pein arose languidly, dusting off nonexistent dirt from his red and black robe. He approached Chihiro and leaned down to whisper in her ear:

"You are a _guest_. Don't ask so many questions. Follow me."

* * *


	15. I Smell 'Her' lol

**(A/n: lol I forgot about the bold first letter thing…until now.)**

**T**he 'dining hall' was even more repulsive than Chihiro's room. An inch of stagnant water, getting deeper as the duo walked towards the single table in the middle, swirled scattered debris around their ankles. The 'guest' wrinkled her nose in disgust. _No dry place to sit, and you can't even see what you're eating._

Moreover, she couldn't see whom she was sitting with.

"Is this _her_? Deidara-sempai, you know right? I can smell her." A childish voice said from beside her. Chihiro could hear someone sniffing the air beside her hair. She unconsciously slid away from the sound. Unfortunately, the short picnic table didn't allow her much room to escape, and she nearly fell face forward into the murky liquid below her feet.

"Shut up, Tobi." Deidara blatantly demanded. Chihiro poked at the plate in front of her, picked up a crusty scrap of what she thought was bread, and put it in her mouth. She all but suffocated trying to swallow the rock-like pastry.

"Is she staying?" Someone asked. It was another stranger. The person sounded bored and uninterested.

"I don't know, but she better not increase the expenses…I'm always the one to clean up the fees." A grouchy male replied.

"Ah, ah! Kakuzu, just shut up, dammit! It's still early in the morning, and I'm gonna have to put up with it for the rest of the day…" It was another man. _Sheesh, is this whole place filled with men?_ Chihiro thought.

"Stop talking nonsense, and hurry up and eat. This food is hardly edible." It was the same one who asked if she was staying or not. Sadly, the ones to speak were the only people who didn't take their own advice. Everyone was minding their own business and muttering to themselves…and no one would stop talking.

"Hey, sempai, what does she look like? You've seen her already, right?" My sensitive-nosed neighbor asked.

"Oh, she's-" Deidara was interrupted.

"She's very plain. Nothing special."

It was suddenly too quiet. The '_plink'_ of dripping water in the distance was heard, and even the scraping of paper and plastic on the table had ceased.

"H-Hidan-san? That's not really nice." Chihiro felt the person next to her squirming in their seat.

"It's true…I saw her yesterday when Itachi brought her in." 'Hidan' proclaimed. The topic of discussion slammed down her hand and stood up.

"You know, I'm right here." She said in a dangerously soft voice. As if their gears were restarted, everyone shifted in movement, and in no time, Chihiro was left in the room, with a waiting Pein. He leapt across from the opposite side of the table and strolled over to stand beside the fuming girl.

"So…what's your decision?" He asked her. She was startled by his proximity.

"Well, certainly…"

"In that case, you're going to have to stay in your room and-" Chihiro, who was already making her way towards the exit, cut him short. He heard the _pitter-patter_ of her footsteps on the wet floor, and stared after her silhouette.

"…Not, of course."

* * *

Chihiro's point of view

**H**e brought me back to my 'room', nonetheless. He left me alone to sort out my thoughts, and then disappeared, probably to go back to his 'throne room' in that dumpster of a place. I sat on the hard bed scrutinized the chamber, to make sure no person like Deidara could sneak up on me.

And then I turned on my Byakugan.

There was no way I was going to stay put listening to a bunch of men gossiping about me right under my nose, when Sasuke was still in the hospital for all I knew. So if they wouldn't let me out, then I was going to break out.

I looked forward, behind, left and right. Right in front, was the entrance to my room that led to the criss-crossing tunnels. After seeing the curving paths with the Byakugan, I realized the maze was just an ant-like way of going a straight course_. If you blasted the tunnels apart, you could walk a short distance directly ahead, and reach Pein's landfill. It was all a trick_. When Deidara blindfolded me, I could have used my Byakugan right then and covering my eyes would have been useless. But of course, he occupied one of my hands to prevent me from doing anything serious. _How cunning…_

Behind me was a small space that was round, like mine. The floor was dusty and layered with gritty particles that reminded me of sand. It was empty, except for a short, handmade ladder that was against the rough wall.

And there was an opening at the top.

* * *


	16. Feigned Innocence

**(A/n: SORRY FOR THE DELAY!!! I was working on Never Meant to Be…GOMENASAI! I'm also trying to lengthen the chapters and give the writing a bit more quality…)**

*** * ***

The light coming in from the ceiling was not bright, but it was very natural. Looking upwards, I saw that the solid rock went on for two meters, until the stone leveled out into flat ground. There was an arched roof constructed from untainted granite, fluently covering the area like the lid of a pot.

_If only I can get in the room next door…_To the left, I found a narrow staircase that I presumed to be also carved by hand (an: imagine Hidan with his scythe…carving stairs). Steps that led above ground.

I tiptoed out the door (er, cave opening) and turned towards the left; I was faced with a wall. But after spinning around in a full circle with the 'all seeing eye' still intact, I found that one of the underground passages had a branching path, gone unnoticed from before. Tracing the new tunnel's distinct shape, I was overjoyed to find that it led to the precarious and small stairwell. (an: what an odd sentence)

I placed a hand on the cold stone to my right, running my fingers over tiny rivulets of water leaving tracks in the charcoal gray. The winding passage now seemed to make sense, and I soon arrived at the low burrow-like side tunnel. It was so short in height that I had to bow down my head and bend my knees to fit in.

The muddy hole at the end revealed shiny steps, saturated with liquid. I made my way carefully upward, aiming for a doorway five meters ahead.

The stairs led to a gap like a mouse hole, and I scampered through, sounds of footsteps echoing in my ears, begging me to leave quickly.

The enormous ground-level chamber shone with the same guileless light that I saw in the previous chamber. I recognized the discolored crater in the edge of my vision. Suddenly, two people walked in.

_Walked in…from where?_ It was the first time I noticed the room was sealed all around, except for a hole in the ceiling.

"What are you doing here?" Itachi commanded.

* * *

Third person point of view

"It's too bad we couldn't bring that brat nine-tails back with us." Kisame muttered, rapidly forming handsigns in a blur. Itachi, who was doing the same under his cloak, 'hn'-ed in agreement. Or it seemed so.

After undoing the illusionary barrier, the two Akatsuki members entered the ground base and halted. Chihiro, battered with smudges on various spots of her clothes, had one hand over the stairwell doorway, and another pressed to her sweaty forehead. Itachi couldn't help but ask:

"What are you doing here?"

Kisame gaped at him openly, surprised that he said anything at all. Itachi gave him a sidelong glance that made him snap his mouth shut.

Chihiro was frozen from shock and fear, her feet oddly twitching as if they wanted her to go back in. Her arms shook at the joints and the previous perspiration dried up, leaving her complexion clammy and cold. Her obvious body language exposed her original intentions to Itachi and Kisame, and they watched her in a way similar to viewing something entertaining.

They watched her, as she brought her pointer finger and middle finger up to her lips, and murmured one word. Her eyes shone in the pale canary yellow light, illuminating the darkness like shining red orbs. They knew she did it for comfort, and meant no harm.

It was then that she started laughing.

The sound was that of a delirious woman, and the fact that she was doing it without emotion, was the most frightening aspect. Chihiro clutched at her neck, mad cackles becoming hoarser by the second, struggling to even her breathing.

"Can…I exit…from …the inside?" It was meant to be inconspicuous, choppy due to her panting, and the one question of utmost importance that she needed to know the answer to. A hit to gain for Chihiro, a weapon soaked in fake innocence.

And the S-class criminals fell for it…well, just Kisame.

"Yes" He blurted, making it seem as if the word came out on its own. The prisoner was out before Itachi even had a chance to look at Kisame. _Damn,_ the swordsman thought, _I'm gonna have hell to pay if anyone finds…out…_

"Kisame… Just _keep your mouth shut._"

"Shouldn't we bring her back?" Kisame asked, slightly troubled by Itachi's response to his betrayal. The blank faced man started towards the mouse hole leading below ground, and from the darkness came his equally lifeless reply:

"I don't see the need to."

* * *

_Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke…_Chihiro kept repeating in her mind. It was her temporary remedy for fighting the urge to lay down and sleep on the leaf coated ground whizzing by beneath her feet. She barely had the strength to leap from one tree branch to the next, but her motivation pumped up weak spurs of adrenaline. She knew she had less than ten percent of her chakra left, and was scared to fuel her jumps with the quickly depleting energy.

At that moment, Chihiro wished she had the huge amount of reserved chakra that Naruto possessed.

But unfortunately, she didn't, and as the hidden exhaustion took over her body, the half unconscious kunoichi dared to risk a tiny bit more of her chakra to soften her contact with the forest floor. _It was pure luck,_ she realized after a successful landing, _that I escaped from them at all._

The wet leaves felt spongy under her sandals, and droplets of rainwater were still visible on the surrounding bushes and plants. She was determined, if not drained, to return to Konoha and her brother. _Forgetting your other brother?_ A rather frustrating part of Chihiro's mind reminded her. She tried to ignore it.

What regrets did she have, leaving a criminal organization? None and it was her firm answer.

Or so she thought.

* * *

****Back in Konoha…****

"Sakura…Arigato" His words tickled her ear and cooled the salty wet streams on her face. As he placed his warm hand on her back, his touch caused a drowsy Inner Sakura to twitch in excitement, but all reasons for celebration were lost, as a black fog took over her mind.

Sakura was scared, because deep inside she had always known this would happen. But she believed in him.

Now look where flimsy bonds of trust got her, tearstains leaving blotchy marks down her cheeks as Sasuke left her. She felt so stupid, to believe.

She was suddenly drowsy, and her body fell backwards, only to be caught with expecting arms. She saw one last image of his face, expressionless, as her mind screamed loud enough for him to hear. _Don't leave! Don't leave me…_One last tear pooled over the corner of her eye and disappeared into the pink mass of hair before Sakura lost consciousness.

It wasn't until the next morning, after getting up from the bench, that she realized his hand was cold.

* * *

Everyone that thought Sasuke left for power and left to gain enough strength to defeat his older brother. That too.

But he had another reason. The one only he knew.

_Finding Chihiro wouldn't be easy_, he thought, as the path through the forest became harder to follow amongst the scattered branches and fallen debris. He couldn't use chakra, and it was driving his instincts insane. It had already been two days since Sasuke ran away from Konoha, hiding his most impelling motive in vain hope that his missing sister would accompany him on his journey. Yet, another part of Sasuke also didn't want her to have any chance to steal his glory of revenge, a ghastly prospect that would seem more likely than ever if she came along.

_Admit it…_ A small voice that he very much would like to keep quiet spoke up. He reached up to cover his ears, and nearly tripped over an especially large stick. He grimaced at his own idiocy. At this rate, it would be dark before he even gets a respectable distance from the persistent search teams. This whole idea was beginning to annoy him.

He didn't want to prove that voice right. But he would do that for her. He sneaked out of the hospital just find her, so he could do this. Sasuke hastened his footsteps and…

…Stopped in his tracks. They had already been watching him for some time now.

"I know you're there." He sensed four familiar chakra signatures approach from behind him. He heard a dark chuckle, and one of them spoke up:

"We're here to escort you, Sasuke-sama."

* * *


	17. The Truth

**(A/n: OHOHOHOHOHO!!!! FINALLY!! This is my longest chapter yet…)**

*** * ***

****With Chihiro…****

Chihiro gathered chakra at the soles of her blistered feet, and tried to forget the nagging worries churning her stomach. She felt nauseated by the confusing thoughts running through her head, and winced as her own chakra seemed to be showy like fireworks, telling the Akatsuki where she was. _Come and get me!_ It screamed. Her fingers itched to wrap themselves around a nice and sharpened weapon, but she knew something like that wouldn't calm her nerves.

As she longingly glanced at the pristine kunai pouch strapped to her waist, she tried to pretend not to see the grimy condition of her other particles of clothing. In truth, that was the only clean part of her outfit, as she was overprotective of the important items of survival inside. Chihiro was in a state fit for a common beggar, with scratches from the dense undergrowth of the forest, and various bug-bites affecting her skin.

Her only hope was that Konoha was not far from her location, and food would no longer pose as a constant problem.

_Food_.

If she was bothered that her chakra might be sensed, then the loud growling noises coming from her abdomen should be more of a concern. She felt sickening acid gather in her mouth, and swallowed the uncomfortable sour taste while clutching her belly, rubbing the thin strands of thread making up the netting between her thumb and forefinger.

Chihiro lacked nourishment and rest, and she gave in to her bodily desires…or rather, her legs refused to support her limp body any longer. As she shifted to rest at the base of a large tree, her mind drifted off into such a state, that she didn't even notice the rapidly advancing chakra signatures heading her way.

* * *

****Sasuke and the Sound Four…****

"Sasuke-sama, we must get started immediately! There is no time to waste-"

"Will you be quiet?" Sasuke growled, trying to concentrate on the small pinprick of a presence up ahead. He finally found her. And no one was going to stop him.

The Sound Four followed him closely, their pace matching Sasuke's as his increased with more urgency, dodging clusters of leaves. This new _prince_ they were supposed to baby-sit wasn't behaving very well, but none of them would even dream of disobeying Orochimaru. All they could do now was make sure he wouldn't try to escape his fate as a host in training.

He first spotted the redness of the Uchiha crest, and gradually made out the rest of her sleeping form. _Did she forget about enemies?! _ Sasuke thought angrily. He jumped off a low branch and landed on cracked soil, his obvious _thump_ of a landing telling her to wake up.

Chihiro started, and her eyes snapped open to reveal the Sharingan already activated despite her drowsy condition moments ago. Within two seconds, both hands were armed, one with a senbon wedged between each finger, and the other with a kunai. One of Sasuke's escorts whistled through his teeth:

"Impressive…" The other three only looked at each other. _Is she another Uchiha?_

"S-Sasuke?" Chihiro asked faintly. Her gaze darted from her brother to the four malicious-looking nins behind him. Sasuke made his decision…a choice that was chosen a long time ago.

"We have to…get rid of them."

* * *

They were no match for two surprisingly accomplished children, perhaps it was because of the fact that they both beheld a rare kekkei genkai. The fireball jutsu never missed a target, and the siblings anticipated every move before it was made.

When one of them made webs sprout from his multiple hands, after testing them with regular weapons, Chihiro sliced the sticky strings apart with chakra enhanced senbons. As Tayuya attempted to bring out her flute, it was knocked out of her grasp by her tumbling two-headed teammate, after being scorched face on by Sasuke's jutsu.

But the Sound Four were not the only ones who were running out of stamina; Sasuke and Chihiro were starting to switch on to defense.

They decided to run.

And so began the great chase. They kept going and going, until Chihiro started to wonder how deep that forest really was. Suddenly, the scenery went black.

Her vision became blurry, and a strong pulling sensation was beginning at the top of her head. It was a feeling of something inside her, being sucked out. _Eh?!_ _What's happening?_ The Soul Chihiro zoomed away from her body, back to the Akatsuki hideout-

Well…a lumped and caved in rock that looked like a piece of deformed cheese.

But the soul kept going, and flew through one of the many entrances, where it heard an empty clank. The scene below was horrifying. Bodies covering nearly every surface of the ex-cave were pierced through and through with swords and many a weapon unidentifiable. _Clean_ weapons. There was not a drop of blood on the corpses, which Chihiro estimated to be around one hundred. The soul gently floated over to stand…er, hover over a ripped up piece of clothing, and she recognized the red cloud print on black fabric.

She was somewhat frightened by the dead _things_ around her, which she would later realize to be puppets. But most of her soul's attention was focused on a place near the old doorway. A young girl with pink hair and a red vest…_Sakura-san?! _The female Chihiro assumed to be Sakura knelt next to an old woman that was labored with her breathing. Both pairs of eyes were fixed on a body on the floor beside them, stabbed with multiple swords and robed in similar maroon colored tatters as the rest of the lifeless humanoid dolls…

And again, the soul jolted with blinding speed, out of the cave and into the sunlight. It flew so fast, that Chihiro wasn't quite sure of where they were when it stopped in mid-air to speculate another scene. The soul did not travel as far as she assumed, for a small section of the cave roof was still visible in the distance behind them.

"Step back, Naruto. I don't want you to be sucked in, too." A familiar voice warned. Chihiro looked on eagerly, only to see a very much messed up Kakashi covered in soot, crouched on a log-like crossbeam. The thick trunk was out of place, almost like a tree grown sideways without leaves or branches. And the wide chasm beneath Chihiro and the soul was wedged with the same things. A bright orange figure hopped closer to them, backing away from the burnt sensei.

"S-sucked in?" Naruto asked, sounding extremely worried about this mysterious threat. Perhaps he was anxious about Kakashi. Or maybe both.

It was just then that it occurred to Chihiro that a gigantic clay (or something like that) bird that was flapping its wings to stay airborne, supporting a proud cloaked form on its back. A man that was blonde with bangs hiding the left side of his rather feminine face. He seemed familiar, almost like a fictional character that appeared in a previous dream, but the Soul Chihiro could not remember. Besides, all this zooming around in a body outside of her own was causing her mind to get a bit muddled.

"Hah!" Chihiro felt a sudden buzz of power, the _scent_ of a technique she knew so well. It was the Sharingan, but the chakra was manipulated…

The yellow haired enemy began to distort. His body was rippling, like water slipping down a drain. The area around him started to spin and contort into a sort of kaleidoscope image, the center drainage area roaming over various parts of his body, lingering on where his heart would be. Then it moved away. It was almost like Kakashi lost control of his aim.

Able to see everything happening in the scenario, Chihiro saw the silver haired ninja shiver with strain. So he _did_ lose control. But her surprise peaked to its highest point when a strangled yell filled her ears, as the spiral finally stopped on the Akatsuki member's arm, spinning wildly. The point on his limb darkened and mercilessly cinched closed at the forearm.

His scream of pain was murder on the bystanders' eardrums.

Chihiro flinched mentally, a detached ringing sound hammering into her head. The soul began to glide around in no particular direction, like it was confused of where to go next. Instead of becoming black, the scenery turned a blinding white, the colors pulled into an invisible vacuum. Almost immediately afterwards, their spot in 'Nowhere' slowly darkened, blackish-reds and browns seeping into the white area all around. It was all so confusing. _What is happening?_

They were present in a shadowy chamber, built like a dungeon with a flimsy bed (almost like the one in Chihiro's 'room') in the center. It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the murkiness, and when she could finally see, two silent silhouettes appeared…

On the mattress was a teenage boy, around sixteen or seventeen of age, his pitch-black hair shading his pale face. He had bloody bandages wrapped around his torso, and when he looked up, his expression was of disbelief.

Chihiro could never forget that face. It was definitely Sasuke. But…

_Is this…is this the future?_ Sasuke's eyes were confused, but his gaze didn't leave the other man's figure in the room. He was an Akatsuki, a mask with one eyehole masking his features. Chihiro was too stunned to notice the red pupil staring out from the opening. Sasuke started to speak:

"You're lying." He deadpanned. Apparently, this was the middle of the conversation.

"No. It's true Sasuke…You thought you finally got revenge, when Itachi just let you win. He was protecting you all along. You…his beloved little brother." The man said. His last sentence somehow emanated disgust, and his voice had an edge of calm 'hysteria' that Chihiro couldn't describe. She had heard that voice somewhere before…

"You're lying!" Sasuke yelled. He put his hands over his face and took a shaky breath. _Revenge?_ Chihiro suddenly realized what the man had mentioned. _Itachi…is dead?_ If that was true, then this was indeed, agood deal into the future. _But…what? Protect…_

Nothing was making any sense. But the conversation continued.

"How stubborn. But no matter how much you try to hide from the truth, Sasuke…it's still there. It looks like I have to explain everything in order for you to believe me…"

"Never! Itachi would never…" Sasuke sounded so much in pain, Chihiro just wanted to comfort him like she did when he was small.

"He loved you, Sasuke. It was the village that forced him to murder his clan. But he loved you too much. He couldn't make himself kill his little brother. So he made up a lame excuse-"

"Stop! St-stop it…" The boy on the bed seemed so old, begging, pleading for the cloaked stranger to stop. Chihiro wished she could scream at him to stop too, the words that hurt her brother so much. But she was also entranced in his woven fantasy of a tale. _Itachi loving Sasuke…it's too good to be true…_

"The Uchiha clan was getting uncontrollably powerful, and the elders feared of a rebellion from such a strong group. And they evidently had a lot to be unhappy about. The only solution they could think of was to rid of the main problem. Assassination, perhaps, a mass killing that would wipe out the threat. No one would know it was linked to the government. They would blame it all on the murderer, who would be secretly hired. But of course, they had to choose the best one, and who could they possibly find better than the clan's own outstanding prodigy, Itachi Uchiha."

"No…no…" Sasuke's pleas became soft whimpers, like he was too weak to protest any longer. The storyteller ignored this, and progressed.

"Do you know the story of the two siblings, Sasuke? I…I am the elder, Uchiha Madara. There was no stealing involved. My brother offered his eyes to me! It was a gift, he said, for me to protect the clan in his place! Your brother and I are very similar, both blamed for something misunderstood."

"Why should I trust you?" Sasuke glared at Madara's chest, his hands curled up into fists on his lap.

"Yes…you shouldn't Sasuke. Why should you trust me? But I'm not lying. Even on that night, Itachi was corresponding with me. No one outside the government, but me, you and Itachi know his secret. I'm supposed to be dead, you know."

Sasuke was silent, and finally raised his head to look at him face to face. This man could talk about such matters in a calm tone. It was rather frightening. Chihiro shuddered when Sasuke's eyes grew red, and the same manipulated Sharingan chakra was sensed in the room. His iris was black, and the pupil was a red, six pointed star pattern.

By no doubt, it was the Mangekyou Sharingan.

As to how Sasuke achieved that level of his kekkei genkai however, was unknown to Chihiro. There was suddenly a peculiar burning smell in the room, and she saw black flames begin to engulf the hem of Madara's cloak. It was quickly extinguished. Sasuke appeared to have just discovered his abilities, for he stared at the dwindling fire with surprise.

"Did I…?"

"Ah…I see Itachi still doesn't trust me. Even after his death, he planned ahead for you. That was Amaterasu, the ultimate Fire Release Technique. He must have implanted his eye technique on you. To react when it sees my Sharingan, huh? Not bad, Itachi, not bad, even though you _are_ an overprotective brother…"

Sasuke paid no attention to the mumbling, and he reached up to touch a spot in the center of his forehead. Chihiro could just make out a small stain of what she thought was dried blood.

"You see? Itachi never even thought of taking your eyes, Sasuke. You were a fool to believe his excuses. Hating you? No, he cared for you so much, that he could pretend to hate you, so you will be safe. It was Konoha, Sasuke, that _village_ of yours that made him a monster, forced him to flee and face the consequences of murder. You weren't even supposed to know, but I just had to tell you. Itachi wanted this to be kept confidential forever, the tale of a great man turned heartless killer. It's sad to see you this way, Sasuke, after _he_ did so much for you."

He studied Madara's form, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. It dawned on Chihiro that he had stayed that way for the whole time she was here. She could hear it in his voice, a hidden malice so cunning and masked like his face. No one could tell what this man was thinking, telling Sasuke the 'truth', but also seemingly manipulating him. _I don't want to believe it…but the story makes so much sense…Sasuke will surely hate Konoha now…_

"…I…believe it. What you said. That my…brother is innocent. And I _will_ help him get revenge." Sasuke said reluctantly. His fists clenched tighter, turning his already pale skin a whiter shade. Madara chuckled, like something was going just according to plan.

"I will…crush Konoha!"

It was exactly as Chihiro feared.

* * *


	18. Dreams

**(A/n: LOLZ)**

REALITY…

It all became very clear when she woke up. That everything was a dream, because she was suspicious long ago of how Akatsuki could be so gracious. _Ever since the kidnapping…_Chihiro thought. Of course. Time travel was impossible, too. And not to mention that weird soul thing.

It was all a dream.

But what hit her the hardest, the thing that jarred her senses awake, telling her she was not anywhere near escaping or running away with Sasuke, was the clay object stuck on her face. And she knew exactly what it was, because the first thing she heard when she opened her eyes was this:

"Don't try anything, yeah. They're bombs."

The unusual accent, except this time, he said "yeah" instead of "un". So even her dream self got things wrong. All she could do was splutter.

"Wha? Where am I…?" The first question Chihiro could croak out spilled into the cool air. That smell was one she remembered from her 'dream'. It was still kind of hard to believe everything just happened inside her head, it being possibly the longest 'dream' ever to occur in humanity.

"Where do you think, yeah?" He scoffed. He was not so pleasant now, it seemed.

"Can you get this, er, _thing_ off my face? I'm not going anywhere." Chihiro was not so sure of her statement to vouch for her own honesty, but seriously, the clay blob with legs was creeping her out.

"No," He answered bluntly, much to her disappointment, "And it's _art_, not a _thing_. Besides, you didn't seem to mind it much when you were out that _three months _talking to yourself, yeah." He was offended, too.

Three months.

The words nearly caused Chihiro to sit up in shock, but that wouldn't have been a very good idea. So instead, her arm accidentally flung out in a random direction. She regretted it immediately after her wrist connected with flesh. And when her victim screamed:

"Holy shit, that fucking hurt, yeah!" She was tempted to say 'what polite language'. But in reality, she was too scared to say anything.

Chihiro realized that the back of her hand was damp and sticky after a few minutes of Deidara cursing under his breath. She sighed.

"Sorry…about that."

"Forget it, yeah. It's not like I'm going to forgive you anyway." She paused before continuing her offer. Rudely putting it, he was technically a test subject, because she didn't have any experience at all. But she did see learn a lot from mulling around the hospital all day, and it was her fault…

"I can help…treat it. That wound." The stream of profanities stopped. For a moment, she thought he would except her help.

"Tch. You? No way in hell, yeah." Maybe not.

"Fine. Just stay that way." She retorted.

"…"

"…"

"Can you really help, yeah?" He unwillingly grunted.

* * *

_Now I channel my chakra into the cut…_It was actually simpler than she thought, without all the fancy knowledge and advanced stuff of course. Still, Chihiro felt just a tad elated, when the bloody seam closed shut. Her patient/guinea pig let out a tight breath and visibly relaxed in his seat. She figured it was fine to ask.

"How did you get that?" A twinkling blue color peeked out from under one eyelid, which was closed before.

"None of your business, yeah." And he proceeded to pretend to sleep.

"I just healed you."

"So?"

"So you owe me." It was incredibly quiet.

"You wouldn't want to know anyway, yeah."

"Tell me." He made a noise at the back of his throat. Chihiro sighed, and was about to lie down, when he spoke.

"…Those Leaf ninja, yeah. They detached my arm. Good thing Kakuzu was here, yeah, or else…"

Leaf ninja…. Leaf ninja…Leaf ninja…

His voice played over and over like a broken recording in her mind. _This is not good_, she thought. _My dream can't be true…otherwise…_

Otherwise…what? She could do nothing about it if it already happened.

"Nobody…_died_, right? It's not like the entrance is destroyed or something…?" She muttered, trying to activate her byakugan. But every time chakra surged anywhere near her eyes, the clay creatures scattered around the bed would twitch in anticipation. Chihiro slumped in defeat. She didn't realize Deidara was staring at her.

"How did you know, yeah?"

She nearly screamed out loud.

* * *

Chihiro's point of view

This was too much.

I didn't think everything would become so complicated. I just had to act super retarded in front of Itachi that day, and make him kidnap me.

I'm really, really stupid.

What happens now? Do I assume the rest of the dream is real too? What about the part with Sasuke in the future…what do I do about that?

My head is spinning with so many questions…I wish I could just forget about them, and sleep. _Yeah…sleep…_

But I might dream if I sleep.

There was no way out of this. Too much. I wanted to throw up.

I heard faintly someone yell "Why my cloak, yeah?!" before everything was dark again.

* * *

**(A/n: SIDE-STORY!!! A little peek into Chihiro's childhood…)**

****Memories…****

The shovel went _chk_ when the silver tip dug into the dry soil. It was one of my favorite sounds.

Quick and homely, whenever I heard that noise, I knew it was a day for gardening. Otosan made the siblings do it too. I never paid attention to them, but inside I was sort of happy that I wasn't alone.

Today was one of those days. I made a small hole and placed the dried bulb into the space, using my hands to shift the soil around, filling in the hollow spots. My task was to plant all the seeds in my section of the garden. Okasan's second son, Sasuke, was now three years old, and he was told to remove the weeds where I was working. Sasuke tottered over in his newly fitted sandals and plopped down onto the grass a few feet away.

"Itachi-kun! Come closer!" I heard Okasan call, imagining her smiling face. She always smiled. I dared to sneak a peek over my shoulder. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the youngest son do the same.

Everyone's attention was on eight year old Itachi. Even Otosan, on his way to the police headquarters, sensed tension and observed around the corner.

"Oto…san." The elder boy said with difficulty, staring at the place where Fugaka was hiding, "I should be…training."

He muttered the last sentence, glancing at his mother. She laughed a bit nervously, wiping her dirt covered hands against her apron.

"Maybe…. Maybe _gardening_ is a little too…" The words 'childish' and 'meaningless' hung in the air unspoken.

After a few moments of thinking, Okasan clapped her hands together.

"Ah, why don't you play with Saki-chan today?"

Uchiha Saki was the daughter of a close friend of Otosan's. Her parents were very strict with image, and they forced her to wear civilian dresses on non-school days.

A/N: THIS STORY MAY BE DISCONTINUED…

**I'm really sorry to the ppl that read this story, but I feel that it really didn't go the way I wanted n there r…no…*sob* new reviews T-T**

**Ima start a new story tho using my best work :D**


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